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Tomasstes's avatar
Tomasstes
Bronze Contributor
Dec 26, 2024

How to Create El Capitan Bootable USB from Windows PC with DMG File?

I just formatted internal disk of Mac Mini Mid 2011 running Mac OS X El Capitan (10.11.6). I thought reinstalling El Capitan via the official Internet Recovery approach but it did not work in my case...
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Whamite's avatar
Whamite
Iron Contributor
Dec 26, 2024

You can make El bootable USB on another Intel Mac that is able to run the Install El Capitan app. This can be particularly useful for installing or reinstalling El Capitan, troubleshooting issues, or setting up multiple Macs. Below is a comprehensive guide to help you make El Capitan bootable USB.

Prerequisites:

  • A USB Flash Drive: You'll need an empty USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of storage. Note: This process will erase all data on the USB drive, so ensure you back up any important files.
  • OS X El Capitan Installer: You need the official El Capitan installer. You can download it from the Apple Support website or the Mac App Store if it's still available in your purchase history.
  • An Intel-based Mac: The process is designed for Intel Macs. Ensure your Mac is compatible with El Capitan.

Step 1: Visit the OS X El Capitan download page. Click on the Download OS X El Capitan link. This will redirect you to the Mac App Store. In the App Store, click Get to download the installer. It will be saved in the Applications folder as Install OS X El Capitan.app.

Step 2: Plug the USB flash drive into your Mac. In Disk Utility, select your USB drive from the sidebar. Click the Erase button at the top.

Step 3: Enter the Createinstallmedia command from the Terminal app:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/ElCapInstaller --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app --nointeraction

Step 4: Press Enter after typing the command. You will be prompted to enter your administrator password. Type it in (note that Terminal won’t display the characters) and press Enter.

Step 5: The Terminal will display progress messages. This process can take some time, depending on your system and USB drive speed. Once completed, you’ll see a message like "Install media now available at '/Volumes/ElCapInstaller'".

Step 6: With the USB drive still connected, click the Apple menu and select Restart. Immediately hold down the Option (⌥) key as your Mac restarts. The Startup Manager will display available boot drives.

Step 7: Select the Install OS X El Capitan USB drive. Press Enter to boot from the selected USB drive. If everything was set up correctly, your Mac should boot into the OS X El Capitan installer environment.

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